The first encyclopedia of marine geology was presented in Saint Petersburg State University.

The treatise called Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences was presented by one of its editors – SPbU professor Jörn Thiede, a world-famous specialist in the field of marine geology, oceanography and paleoceanography. The ceremony was held within the frame of the first UArctic Congress, that is taking place in Saint Petersburg State University at the moment.

The presentation was attended by Vice-Rector for Research Sergey Aplonov, Director of SPbU Gorky Research Library Marina Karpova and the editor of Springer scientific publisher, which published the encyclopedia Margaret Deignan. Professor Thiede told the Congress participants how the encyclopedia was created and donated a copy to Saint Petersburg University – from now it will be deposited in SPbU Gorky Research Library stock.

The treatise is included in the series of Earth science encyclopedias published by Springer, one of the largest scientific publishers, and is the first-ever attempt to create a complex database covering the information about the history and evolution of the ocean floor.

“Scientists only have the information that has been accumulated in the last 50 years at their disposal. That is since researchers of the ocean floor were able to use modern technologies, particularly special research vessels. Nevertheless, we used all the information available to create the single database”, said professor Thiede.

The professor, who not only edited, but also contributed two large articles to the encyclopedia, said that it took about eight years to write it and that scientists from all over the world took part in the process. Jörn Thiede said that the encyclopedia could be useful not only to oceanographers doing research, but also to under- and postgraduate students in this field along with a wide readership possessing basic knowledge of geology.

Professor Thiede, a world-renowned scientist and specialist in marine geology, oceanography and paleoceanography, runs the laboratory of geomorphologic and paleographic studies of the Polar Regions and the World Ocean in SPbU. One of the key results of the laboratory’s work is the publishing of the first-ever geomorphologic atlas of the whole continent, namely Antarctic. This is a compilation of maps created for the first time that allows to depict subglacial and submarine relief in more details and conclude about its origin and formation.

Within the framework of the UArctic Congress professor Thiede said that he is planning to continue his research of the ocean floor and is currently preparing for publication the biography of Wladimir Köppen, a German-Russian paleogeographer, meteorologist, climatologist and botanist.

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is an international cooperative network that unites more than 180 universities and research institutions in 16 countries in the attempt to establish collaboration in the area of scientific research and education to ensure sustainable development of the Northern regions and universal support to the peoples inhabiting those regions. Through cooperation in education and research, UArctic enhances human capacity in the North, contributing to creation of viable communities and sustainable economic development of the region.